Christmas Break!

MawMaw and PawPaw came to visit for Christmas this year! They flew in on Wednesday night, the 21st. JB and Brady went to get them while Rachel and I went to Awana. The kids and I had school on Thursday and half day Friday, but then we were all off for Christmas vacation! JB was on Christmas standdown, so except for the long hour that he had to put in on Tuesday and Friday mornings....he was off as well! We all went over to Norm's diner (except MM) on Saturday morn (Christmas eve) for a big ol breakfast! The kids couldn't wait to open their Christmas eve gifts after it got dark...so we went out in the afternoon to shoot some hoops down at the school to pass time:) Oh, and made cookies too! I think PawPaw and I took a nap and then we opened presents!!! Brady loved his tool set and Rachel loved her cotton balls and duck tape!!!! :) Christmas morning was most enjoyable, watching the kids with so much excitement. We all went to church to hear the Cantata and then came home for a big fried Chicken meal. I think Paw Paw and I took a nap. Then we drove around Christmas night and looked at Christmas lights.....so pretty! Monday started with a big biscuits and gravy breakfast and I think PawPaw and I took a nap. Then we shipped MM and PP off for their night at the Inn at Mystic which was their Christmas present. We did some shopping that night and ate at Longhorn Steakhouse because Rach got us a giftcard there for Christmas!!! Tuesday, MM and PP returned, we just hung around...I think PP and I took a nap, and then we got some Paul's pasta for dinner! Wednesday we had to take them back to the airport:( Thursday we took down our Christmas stuff and cleaned the house all up....that makes me happy:) The kids have truly enjoyed their time off....they have played so well together and we have all just been able to relax and take it easy! It has been a great time together!!! We still have a couple more days until we all go back to reality!!! But, I am thankful for the reality that we have! Enough money to have all we need, friends and family so full of love, Our God that is over all and in all, even in our toughest times. We are believing that 2012 is going to be a year full of healing for the Rodgers' family and full of joy in God's amazing hands!!!! Happy New Year!

Who says you can't have Christmas in November and then again in December???

In November, The kids and I headed to Paducah!

We met up with Uncle Kevin and Phebe for a quick visit, dinner and pictures at McDonalds!!!

While we were there we celebrated my birthday, had 2 Christmases before Thanksgiving, had Thanksgiving, and spent lots of great time with Family and Friends. Gramma got her Kidney stones all busted up too....that made her feel lots better:)

Family photo....Grandpa always loves having his picture taken!!

Gramma and her little santa and little elf!

Bob, Retie, Brian, and Lexi got to come!!!

My two siblings and their wonderful spouses!

The "big" kids!

The "little" kids!

Making cookies! (At our house, Christmas eve)

Christmas morning!

Queen Lacie!

Queen Gracie!

Brady lost a tooth! Tuesday, December 27th!!!

Christmas family photo!!!

Marcella Shandi Stivers

Jody, Shannon and Hudson returned home from Ethiopia on Christmas night. They passed court and now Marcella is officially a Stivers! They got to spend some days with her while they were there but then had to leave her for just a few more weeks until they go get her for good. I can't wait to meet her!!! She is so very precious and sweet in the pictures.....which I will post when I can get my computer to save them!!! Thank you, Lord, for Marcella!

Waiting for our new sweet face.....

Jody and Shannon got their referral for their newest addition to the family. They knew she would be young...but WOW, we are getting a very young little girl. She was 4 months old around the 20th of October! They just got their court date for their first appearance in Ethiopia....December 22nd. Hoping to have her just a few short weeks after that!!! She is precious....Her name is Marcella!!!!!

Then in the fall......

On Labor day weekend we went to Battleship Cove in Massachusetts and then we went and walked the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI...it was a Perfect, Gorgeous day! The kids (and me) started school on Tues. Sept. 6th. We were supposed to start on Aug. 31st but Hurricane Irene came through instead :) Rach went to 5th grade and Brady to 1st.....so far, so good! We went to Holmberg Orchards and picked some apples and pumpkins....then we carved the pumpkins with the Filiatreault's...Fun!!! And then we trick or treated with Oscar the grouch and Toad the Mushroom!!! Gracie went too!!!!

Once upon a time, in the summer....

We went to Kentucky, Indiana, and Georgia! We went down to Me and Paw's old stompin' grounds in Ballard. Rach, Brady, Reese and Nat got to live life on the wild side and ride in the BACK of a pickup truck!!!! And we threw lots of rocks that day!!!! We went to Mammaw's house and visitied with her, Reite and Bob....nice visit. We went to the Kolb's house and got to see our very missed friends. Cindy and I did plenty of talking:) We went to Atlanta and got to be at Grandpa's Shepherd Center Graduation! We also got to go to the Georgia Aquarium with Gramma! We brought Grandpa back to Paducah for the first time in almost 6 months.....He has come so far! We spent time together with family and friends and ofcourse got to watch the Annual Summer show put on by the Buzzin' Cousins!!!! They are a precious bunch! Once again....a blessed summer visit!!!!

So, I have a lot of catching up to do since the summer...But....had to get this one down! Retie and Bob came to visit us on Sunday on their way to Vermont. They bought an older, white, cargo-like van and converted it to their own personal camper. Very nice! But it is very funny and I make fun of them and call it the "kidnapper van." So, Brady went to school on Monday and told his teacher that his aunt and uncle came to visit and they were driving the "Murder Mobile." WOW! That had to have been some crazy rewiring that his brain did!!! You just never know what might come out of his mouth!!! :)

update on Brady's plans for the future....

First he is going to live in Hawaii while he is in the Navy.....Then when he retires, he is going to be a cowboy in the "Old West", then he is going to move to New York City, but he's not sure if he is going to live in Brooklyn or just plain New York City...................smile:)

Cool pics

Rach took these on her itouch.....thought they were cool!

And the award goes to......

Honor roll certificate from Mrs. Anderson (Principal), Student Councel Representative recognition from Mrs. Anderson (Gym teacher), Consistency Award from Mr. Tracy. Great Year Rach!!!

Heart to Heart

Brady, on June 10th, was laying in the floor in Rachel's bedroom while Rachel and I were doing a devotion. He stopped us and asked me how does he make sure that he knows Jesus and goes to heaven. So Rachel and I answered a lot of his questions and just tried to help him put all the pieces together. He was very emotional, which was very surprising to me, and he said the sweetest prayer asking Jesus to come into his heart. With a child so young, it is hard to tell if they truly understand what they are doing....do they really mean it??? But what I do know is that my children and myself had a real heart to heart that night and I know that God was working in Brady's heart........in all of our hearts!

Happy 36th Birthday Daddy!

He just always gets sooo excited to blow out his candle! Just can't settle him down sometimes......

Still Dancing....

Another wonderful recital! She dances with ease and never misses a beat! She has a true hearts desire to dance, and a mind to remember it all. You are a blessing Rach!

The Graduate...

There is a train coming at full speed. I put out my hands and stand strong, pushing against the front of it as hard as I can to stop it....but it is too powerful. It just keeps going. I can hear it and feel it, I can climb aboard and enjoy the ride. I can take detours and see beautiful scenery. It can be scary and dark. But as hard as I try, I can't stop it...it has a destination. That is how I feel when I think about my children. I want to hang on for dear life, I want to stop them from growing one more day. Where did the baby days go? The toddler years? Preschool? And now Kindergarten for Brady has come and gone. And so I listen and hear them, I hug them to feel them, and I try my hardest to enjoy the ride. I try to take detours and slow down and see the beauty in God's creation. There are scary times and hard days....but mostly joy. I can't seem to stop the time. They are headed, we are all headed, for our final destination. May my children desire to follow God down the tracks of their life!

Congratulations Brady! You had an awesome year.......